Star Wars: Rebel Rising(47)
Akshaya ordered plates of food, which were served family style for their table. A steamed, sticky grain made up the base of all their choices, but there were hot dumplings in pale brown broth and thick gummy noodles that had been sautéed in oil with long strips of green vegetables. Jyn slurped noisily, and Hadder copied her, laughing.
It was such a warm, comforting experience that Jyn allowed herself to believe the moment would last.
Over the bar, an old-fashioned viewscreen showed the news. Jyn was fake-fighting with Hadder over who got the fourth and last sugared dumpling when someone across the room shouted, “Hey, everyone, look!”
Nearly everyone turned to the news, and the owner adjusted the volume.
“We turn now to our ongoing coverage of the disaster on an Outer Rim world, Tamsye Prime, a small manufacturing planet.” The reporter was a female human, and she spoke with sincerity that sounded real.
Jyn felt Akshaya stiffen beside her. Hadder’s eyes darted from his mother to Jyn, then back to the screen.
“For the first time since the attack, Lieutenant Colonel Senjax is with us today,” the reporter continued. The camera droids shifted, showing the Imperial officer.
Jyn sucked in a breath. If Lieutenant Colonel Senjax had been the Empire’s pretty boy before the attack, now he was the dignified hero with battle scars to prove it. He’d lost an eye, and it had been replaced with an artful mechanical optic implant that glittered with decorative sweeps of gold. A scar had been etched down the left side of his face, disappearing under his crisp uniform. His hair was shorter now, giving him the appearance of having aged significantly in just a few days.
“Thank you,” Lieutenant Colonel Senjax told the reporter. His voice held none of the lighthearted, easygoing joy that it had when Jyn had met him. “The terrorists who attacked Tamsye Prime had a single goal,” he continued, looking straight out. It felt as if he was staring directly at Jyn. “The factories on that planet were key in manufacturing items the Empire uses for the defense of its citizens. This was a focused, pointed attack, and the anarchists who implemented it did not care that they destroyed not just the plant, which can be replaced, but also the lives of more than a thousand beloved citizens.”
Jyn’s heart twisted in rage. How could this man lie so easily? He knew as well as Jyn that it had been the Empire he loved that had both betrayed and hurt him. She wondered just what they had given him or threatened him with to make him speak on their behalf so soon after the attack.
“I was on the ground at the time,” Lieutenant Colonel Senjax continued, “and I regret to inform the galaxy that the terrorist’s goals of annihilation made them far deadlier than typical separatist groups. However, the group has been utterly crushed, every single member who implemented the attack has been caught and punished.”
“Saw,” Jyn whispered, water springing to her eyes. She’d assumed Saw had escaped. Had he and Codo been caught? But…the rest of the report was a lie. Maybe this was, too.
“The Empire sent aid to Tamsye Prime immediately. In the medical bay, I was beside many citizens.” Lieutenant Colonel Senjax ducked his head. “I’m sad to say, there were few survivors.”
At this, a hush followed by frantic whispers swept the crowd in the diner. Tamsye Prime wasn’t that far away from Skuhl. Some muttered individual names, people they had known who had likely been killed in the attack.
“Remember,” Lieutenant Colonel Senjax continued, “the actions of a few anarchist terrorists cause much harm, destroying lives throughout the galaxy. But the Empire is working to protect you. With the new defense budget approved by the Senate this morning, I have no doubt our Empire will be even stronger than before. These small groups are no true threat to the Empire. Rest assured, you are safe.”
“That didn’t happen.” Jyn looked to Akshaya and Hadder. “None of that—it wasn’t like that! I was there ! It wasn’t terrorists…it was—”
“Shhh,” Akshaya demanded. Hadder’s eyes filled with worry. “We’re going,” Akshaya said, dropping some credits on the table and bustling Jyn and Hadder out. They didn’t stop on the street to talk to anyone else; Akshaya was practically running by the time they reached the end of town, and she didn’t let them speak until they were back in the privacy of the little blue house.
“The Empire did that!” Jyn said. “I was there !”
“You were on Tamsye Prime?” Hadder asked.
Jyn nodded furiously. “And I saw the Star Destroyer. I saw the turbolaser fire. I saw the—” She stopped, unable to continue. She could still smell the sharp stench of burning.
“It’s over,” Akshaya said firmly. “Whatever happened there, best to not bring it up again.”
“But if the Empire…” Hadder started, but Akshaya slashed her hand in the air, silencing him.
“We are several systems away from Tamsye Prime,” she said. “The Empire doesn’t reach this far.”
“The Empire reaches everywhere,” Jyn whispered. “And we’re not that far away.”
Akshaya threw an arm around her and pulled her into a hug that Jyn didn’t return. “It’s over,” she repeated. “You’re safe here. I promise.”
Jyn closed her eyes and tried to believe it.